Allosteric regulation of glycogen synthase in liver: A physiological dilemma

Glycogen synthase catalyzes the transfer of the glucosyl moiety from UDP-glucose to the terminal branch of the glycogen molecule and is considered to be the rate-limiting enzyme for glycogen synthesis. However, under ideal assay conditions, i.e. 37°C with saturating concentrations of UDP-glucose and the activator, glucose-6-P, the maximal catalytic activity of glycogen synthase was only 78% of the in vivo glycogen synthetic rate. Using concentrations of UDP-glucose and glucose-6-P likely to be present in vivo, the rate was only ∼30%. This prompted us to reassess a possible role of allosteric effectors on synthase activity. Glycogen synthase was assayed at 37°C using dilute, pH 7.0, buffered extracts, initial rate conditions, and UDP-glucose and glucose-6-P concentrations, which approximate those calculated to be present in total liver cell water. Several allosteric effectors were tested. Magnesium and AMP had little effect on activity. P_i, ADP, ATP, and UTP inhibited activity. When a combination of effectors were added at concentrations approximating those present in cell water, synthase activity could account for only 2% of the glycogen synthetic rate. Thus, although allosteric effectors are likely to be playing a major role in regulating synthase enzymic activity in liver cells, to date, a metabolite that can stimulate activity and/or overcome nucleotide inhibition has yet to be identified. If such a metabolite cannot be identified, an additional or alternative pathway for glycogen synthesis must be considered.